Now a member of the New York Jets, former University of Louisville star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater views his new team as a "second opportunity" in a promising NFL career sidetracked by a horrific knee injury.

"I’m very excited about moving forward and this opportunity I have," Bridgewater recently told Courier Journal. "This team, they’re putting all the pieces together to have something special. I look at it as a second opportunity. Sometimes things don’t come around twice. I’m appreciative to get that."

Bridgewater, who will be the guest speaker at the Courier Journal Sports Awards on June 7, started 28 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 and 2015 before suffering a severe knee injury — diagnosed as a dislocation with ligament damage — during a preseason practice in 2016.

While Bridgewater returned this past season to practice in Minnesota and briefly to a game at one point, the Vikings moved on, signing Kirk Cousins during the offseason as Bridgewater accepted a one-year deal with the Jets.

His spot on New York's roster this season is far from certain, considering the Jets drafted former Southern Cal quarterback Sam Darnold with the third pick and retained last year's starter Josh McCown along with Christian Hackenberg.

"Going through my injury, I learned that I’m human," Bridgewater said. "As crazy as it sounds, I always used to ask myself, ‘Man, I’m not fazed by this.’ But I found out I’m human. I have emotions. The plan you have for yourself may not be the plan God has for you. ... You get to find out who you really are."

TEDDY AT THE COURIER JOURNAL SPORTS AWARDS

When: 7 p.m. June 7

Where: Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th Street

Tickets: Public tickets are available at sportsawards.courier-journal.com and the Palace box office. A four-pack discount is available online, and students may use the code STUDENT to obtain a discount. Courier Journal subscribers also may buy discounted tickets using a code available at courier-journal.com/xtras.

Who is invited: Each Courier Journal athlete of the week award winner and all-area team selection along with a guest is invited to attend for free. RSVP at sportsawards.courier-journal.com using a password sent to athletic directors, or contact Courier Journal sports director Chris White for a password at ccwhite@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4367.